LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 47-year-old charity worker who says she has never been kissed is now a YouTube sensation after a singing performance that wowed the notoriously harsh talent judge Simon Cowell .

The YouTube video of Susan Boyle 's performance has had more than 5 million hits .

Susan Boyle , from West Lothian in Scotland , appeared on the television show `` Britain 's Got Talent '' last weekend with an inauspicious start .

Slightly plump and with short brown curly hair , Boyle stood somewhat uncomfortably in the middle of the stage wearing a gold lace sheath . She told the judges and the audience of the show that she was single , she lived with her cat , Pebbles , and she had never been kissed .

`` I 'm trying to be a professional singer , '' Boyle asserted , as the audience laughed . `` I 'm going to make that audience rock . ''

When she added that she wanted to be as famous as Elaine Paige , who 's been called the `` first lady of British musical theater , '' some members of the audience snickered and rolled their eyes .

But after Boyle sang the first few notes of `` I Dreamed a Dream '' from the musical `` Les Miserables , '' the audience erupted in wild cheers and applause , and two of the three judges ' jaws dropped .

The applause lasted the length of her performance , which ended with the crowd on its feet .

Cowell , who also serves as a judge on `` American Idol '' and who 's known for his stinging criticism of those he deems to have no talent , said Boyle 's performance was fantastic .

`` I knew the minute you walked out on that stage that we were going to hear something extraordinary , '' he proclaimed .

His fellow judge , Piers Morgan , said it was `` the biggest surprise I have had in three years on this show . ''

`` When you stood there , with that cheeky grin , and said , ' I want to be like Elaine Paige ' everyone was laughing at you . No one is laughing now . That was stunning . An incredible performance , '' Morgan said , adding he was reeling from shock .

Amanda Holden , the third judge , had tears in her eyes and described Boyle 's singing as `` a privilege to hear . ''

A clip of her performance on YouTube.com has had more than 5 million hits , and many fans say they were moved to tears by the story .

Boyle said after the show that she felt `` bloody fantastic . ''

Each of the three judges voted `` yes '' to Boyle 's return to the actual competition round of the show . The performance this weekend came during the auditions .

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47-year-old British charity worker wows Simon Cowell with singing

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Clip of Susan Boyle singing has become a YouTube sensation

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Boyle , from West Lothian , Scotland , said she wanted to be a professional singer